Can Any Incumbent Reverse Legacy Product Trends?

Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts is trying to do something few telco executives have formally attempted, namely reversing the declines in the key legacy revenue stream. 


Telco voice revenues, which historically have driven revenue in the business, are under pressure as much as cable TV operators face losses in their once-core basic video subscription business. But Roberts is trying to do something novel.


Comcast says it is on a "mission" to reverse the trend of declining video subscriber accounts.
Comcast has in fact lost fewer video subscribers in each of the past six straight quarters. 


At least up to this point, telco executives have been more focused on growing new revenue streams, a task made easier by strong growth in wireless services. 


In some key ways, Comcast is trying to change the market share dynamics for a legacy product, hoping that it also can manage the larger transition to a future where today's distribution methods might not be quite so important. 


Telco executives seem to have concluded that the "future" version of their legacy product already exists--wireless voice--and have secured a commanding lead in that business.